1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to toy structures capable of being readily erected by children. More specifically, the invention relates to novel building components for the construction of life size toy playhouses.
Among the most enjoyable pastimes for children is playing in life size toy structures. Conventional life size play structures are usually assembled from bulky, hard, heavy, cumbersome, and dangerous materials such as wood, cardboard, hard plastics or other materials not easily manipulated by children. Also, conventional life size play structures may require the use of tools, nails, adhesives or other fasteners to hold together the heavy elements from which these play structures are constructed which will require the supervision of an adult. The building components of conventional life size knock-down toy structures take up a large volume of space in relationship to the erected toy structure, and when the building components are stored, a voluminous area for their storage is required.
The present invention provides a safe, lightweight, easily stored and transported educational life size knockdown toy structure composed of self-interlocking inflatable block components, all of which can be assembled with relative ease in the construction of toy structures by children without the need of adult supervision.
2. Description of Prior Art
Life size toy structures are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,967 discloses a knockdown life size toy structure that is also a puzzle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,513,292 discloses a means of storing the bulky elements of a life size toy structure. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,626,634; 3,676,276; 3,994,102 and 4,197,681 disclose a means of incorporating inflatable elements in the construction of life size play structures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,203 discloses a life size toy structure that addresses the problem of heavy building components in life size toy structures. U.S. Pat. No. 2,059,598 discloses a miniature log cabin construction toy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,044 discloses a means of releasably attaching a tent pole to a tent and to another tent pole. U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,440 discloses a knock-down life size toy structure for forming another type of miniature log cabin comprised of a plurality of simulated logs and a separate roof.